Photo from Tsion Cafe

The Vegetarian Resource Group maintains an online Guide to Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurants in the USA and Canada. Here are some recent vegan restaurant additions. The entire guide can be found here: http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

To support the updating of this online restaurant guide, please donate at: www.vrg.org/donate

Here are some new additions to VRG’s guide:

Fresh Life Café, 13895 Hedgewood Dr., Ste. 149, Woodbridge, VA 22193

Serves vegan sandwiches like the “Chicken Pesto” with Ciabatta bread, plant-based chicken, vegan cheese, pesto, and balsamic glaze. Also offers the “Impossible burger” with an Impossible burger patty, lettuce, tomato, vegan cheese, and house sauce.

Peace Love Coffee, Lower Level, 524 S. Main St., St. Charles, MO 63301

Looking for a 100% plant-based coffee shop and bakery? Peace Love Coffee is the place for you! They are dedicated to creating uplifting and delicious foods to empower everyone to eat natural and plant-based meals. From chocolatey brownies to vegan grilled cheese sandwiches, Peace Love Coffee has a plethora of vegan options for your sweet or savory cravings. They also offer vegan coffee and tea options for everyone, including their signature French Toast Latte, Medication Mocha, and Butterfly Iced Tea.

The High Vegan, 8008 Camp Bowie W. Blvd. 110, Ste. B, Fort Worth, TX 76116

The menu reflects multicultural flavors. Touches of Italian cuisine appear throughout including their very popular, Meatballs Marinara Sub with mozzarella feta cheese; BBQ Meatballs Sandwich with smoked Gouda and Rosemary. The creator’s New Orleans roots show in Cajun Dirty Rice & Cajun Chicken Alfredo with garlic, oregano, and creamy vegan Alfredo. Latin American influence is evident in Empanadas—their specialty with your choice of fillings like Pizza Meatza, Beef Enchilada and a touch of Asian flair in Sweet and Spicy Chicken with Thai chili sauce, and more. They offer Hot Dog and Cheeseburger variations too. For Dessert there are Sweet Potato Pie Empanadas and Apple Pie Empanadas.

The Veggie Thali, 1410 Victoria Park Ave., North York, ON M4A 2L8, Canada

The Veggie Thali offers vegan Indian food for a great quick bite to eat or a casual sit down. They have made-to-order steamed basmati rice, roti, or papadum. They also serve veggie kabab wraps, samosas, and veggie biryanis. Check out their Facebook or Instagram page to see all the colorful dishes they have available!

Tsion Café, 763 St. Nicholas Ave., New York, NY 10031

Located in the Sugar Hill neighborhood of upper Manhattan, Tsion Café (pronounced see-on) serves artistically presented Ethiopian, Mediterranean, Israeli, Middle Eastern, and African cuisine. Dishes are all house-made with sustainably sourced, local, organic, ingredients whenever possible. Some appetizers include Sambusas, a thin, flaky dough filled with lentils and Ethiopian Spices, paired with zesty sun-dried tomato dipping sauce, or Fried Breadfruit & stewed brown lentils. One Entrée choice, Mama Africa Bowl, offers Jollof Rice, black-eyed peas cooked in coconut milk, cabbage and beets with tahini, cilantro, and lime sauce. Other possibilities include Duba Tsebhi—spiced Pumpkin & Sweet Potato Stew, or Mushroom Tibs featuring Portobello mushroom, tomatoes, jalapenos, awaze (a spicy-hot Ethiopian spice blend), and fresh herbs. There are a couple of Salad options and several vegetable, bean/legume and rice side dishes cooked with variations of ginger and assorted Ethiopian spice blends as well as Injera–a teff based, fermented Ethiopian flat bread. You’ve likely heard of tea ceremonies, but what about coffee? Very proud of their coffee, on special occasions, Tsion Café performs traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremonies. Among their wide array of Cocktails, there’s even a Kafa Martini crafted with Ethiopian coffee, vodka, and Almande Liqueur. For Dessert there’s Sesame Halva or Malawach (a flat bread comprised of thin, flaky layers similar to puff pastry) with date syrup and roasted coconut.

Vibez, 82 Hutton St., Jersey City, NJ 07307

The café is known for their fresh organic juices, such as the Green or Strong Vibez juices, soul vegan food, such as BBQ Drumsticks and Jerked Steak, and veggie “Fysh” and lentil patties. At Vibez, they consider wellbeing is a lifestyle and have health seminars, live entertainment, private booking, and kids’ activities in their café with private events hosted every Sunday.

Village Kitchen, Decatur Food Hub, 2670 E. College Ave., Decatur, GA, 30030

Black and women-owned, Village Kitchen serves up American classics. Beginning as a catering service, the restaurant has grown, focusing on creating vegan versions of classics and creating fresh and bold dishes that appeal to all five senses. From the “Biscuit and sausage gravy” to the original “Red Velvet Waffles,” Village Kitchen will surely have something for everyone. While there, make sure to try some of their desserts, such as their deep-fried Oreos and deep-fried chocolate chip cookies.